La Vérité
by Silver Tongued Soni
Summary: What if Chat Noir found out Marinette was Ladybug in the Lady Wifi episode, though not in the way you'd expect. This is a reveal story, but only to each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note:**

**Don't worry, I won't write too many of these. This is just to ask for reviews, and mention a couple things. Firstly, this is entirely from Adrien/Chat Noir's perspective. Secondly, there may be spoilers for season three, so read at your discretion! Lastly, this fanfic follows the episodes **_**loosely**_**, so if you notice things are in the wrong order, or some things are missing, that's why.**

**Anyway, please leave a review, and enjoy the story! **

Chapter One

"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!"

His lady opened her yoyo, and quickly captured the inexplicably sinister akuma.

"Time to de-evilize," she exclaimed, as she did so. Chat Noir watched as she let it go, then repaired the damage with her Miraculous Ladybugs. It always amazed him how she could fix everything like that, even their injuries.

Lady Wifi was consumed by black, almost liquid-y smoke, and she transformed back into Alya.

"What?"

Such confusion was normal for a recently de-akumatized person.

"Pound it!" Chat noir and Ladybug said simultaneously, bumping their fists.

"Dah, Ladybug, wow! And Chat Noir! Can I get a quick interview?! Just let me grab my phone!"

Chat Noir heard his lady's earrings start to beep.

"Uh, gotta go! You've only got a minute," he warned.

And they dashed away before Alya could turn around.

They ran back into the lobby, and Ladybug sprinted for a nearby closet. Chat Noir grabbed the door, keeping it from closing.

"Stay," he implored. "I won't tell anyone who you are, cat's honour."

He gave her his most charming smile, and held up his paw.

"Nobody must know who we really are, not even us."

Chat Noir could have sworn she sounded...disappointed.

The door swung shut, but clicked open ever so slightly on the rebound.

Had Ladybug done this on purpose? Was this some sort of a test, or an invitation?

Chat Noir hesitated, then grabbed the door handle. A second of indecision... and then he closed the door and ran away, up the stairs, to the balcony, opening a door to a lift.

He heard the door open again.

He didn't mean to; it was instinct.

But as soon as he heard it he turned around.

And saw Marinette Dupain-Chang coming out of the closet Ladybug had hid in. She looked around, and Chat Noir ducked into the waiting elevator, heart pounding.

He had just seen Ladybug's true identity, and he had NOT intended to. Well...maybe he had. But he had deliberately closed the door when he'd had the opportunity. The irony was not lost on him.

But...Marinette was Ladybug. Marinette..._was Ladybug! _In spite of his predicament, he couldn't help feeling a little thrill.

The elevator doors pinged at the second floor, and he ran down the hall, and leapt out a window. He still had a couple minutes before he transformed back, and he used that time to duck into an alley.

The reality of his situation really hit home, and he felt any happiness at his discovery pop like a punctured balloon.

What was he going to do?

Should he tell Ladybug he knew who she was?

Unbidden, an image of her popped into his mind's eye. She looked so...hurt. She was accusing him of looking on purpose.

Adrien felt terrible.

"What are you looking so glum about Adrien? Is it because you forgot my camembert?!"

Plagg, his kwami, was floating expectantly in front of him.

Wordlessly, Adrien gave him a wedge of his stinky cheese.

"But really, what's the matter? You know who the love of your life is now!"

"Yes, but she trusted me not to know, Plagg! She—ugh...no matter how she felt about it, she always says we can't know! I messed up Plagg, I should've just hidden when I had the chance! She's going to be so mad at me."

And worse, disappointed. Adrien didn't think he could stand it if she were.

"Maybe if I told her who I was—"

"Are you kidding? Even if she's mad at you, she wouldn't want you to put yourself and your family in danger!"

"But Plagg...it's just not...not fair!"

Plagg didn't seem to have anything to say after that.

Chat Noir leapt through his bedroom window, and de-transformed for the second time that night. The journey back hadn't given him any insights.

It had, however, allowed him once again to fantasise about how he was going to win her affections now. As guilty as he felt, he couldn't stop himself from imagining getting to know her better.

He almost couldn't believe Marinette was Ladybug, but at the same time, it made so much sense. While, for some reason, Marinette always seemed panicked, he knew that around her other friends she was more collected, and he'd seen her stand up to Chloe a dozen times already. She was as creative as Ladybug—The banner she'd made for Alix and Kim's race was proof—the only thing she seemed to be lacking in similarities was confidence, but Adrien certainly understood that; the only time he felt comfortable enough to really be himself was behind his alter-ego's mask. Well, and with Nino and the others, but those times were few and in between, what with school, schoolwork, modelling, and his father to contend with.

They even looked the same, with their smile, their hair...their bluebell eyes.

Suddenly Marinette was standing out to Adrien, and he began noticing everything about her he'd missed, in the relatively short time he'd known her.

If it was possible to fall in love twice, Adrien thought, he'd certainly done it.

But what was he supposed to do?

Maybe he could approach Marinette as Adrien.

And how would he explain himself? He could tell her that he was Chat Noir, but that would lead to the problems he and Plagg had discussed earlier. Not to mention Marinette always seemed almost incapable of speech around him. He still didn't understand why that happened.

Adrien started brushing his teeth absentmindedly.

What if she thought he was only paying attention to her because she was Ladybug?

Well, that is true, a nasty voice in the back of his head muttered, and he almost spit onto his mirror.

"You ok, Adrien?"

Plagg startled him out of his reverie.

"Yeah...but— Well, what if I tell her and she takes it badly? I mean I love her, no matter who she is under the mask, but what if she thinks I'm only noticing her now because of what I know?"

"Then it's simple; don't tell her. Do you know the level of communication I have with my yummy, gooey camembert? Pretty much nothing! Our relationship is just fine without it."

Adrien gave him the look which was becoming his normal reaction to the kwami's advice: half amused, half exasperated.

But still... _If_ he didn't tell Marinette or Ladybug, and that was something of a big _if_, then he needn't deal with the questions, or the hurt. If he pretended he hadn't seen anything, that he was respecting her wishes that their identities remained secret (a promise he'd actually intended to keep), Ladybug couldn't get mad. What she doesn't know, can't hurt her.

Well, that may not be true, but if she didn't know this little tidbit, and no one learned it from him, what could go wrong? All he'd have to do is be very, very careful around them. Her.

Adrien backtracked for a second. Was he really considering lying to Marinette and Ladybug? One, his friend, one his crush...both someone he actively wanted to keep happy.

This was getting confusing; Adrien needed to reconcile the two people, the one person before he got completely mixed up.

If he didn't, as Adrien, tell Marinette that he knew her secret, she would believe any affection he showed her was for her, and her own merits, which was true, regardless of the fact that he knew her alter-ego. If he, as Chat Noir, paid attention to her, as Marinette, she would believe something was up. At the very least, he'd seem to be an insufferable playboy. If he, as Chat Noir, didn't tell Marinette, as Ladybug, that he knew her secret, and continue to woo her, well, his situation didn't change very much. She already mostly ignored his advances. And if he, as Adrien, tried to approach Ladybug...even knowing her secret, she was a superhero. He was just a model. The gap between Adrien and Ladybug seemed a little insurmountable, especially if he wasn't inclined to reveal he knew her secret identity.

"Plagg, if I don't tell her...what might happen later?"

The irritating little cat just shrugged his shoulders, and gobbled up another wedge of his disgusting cheese.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Adrien went to school the next day, feeling more nervous than he ever had. He saw Marinette talking with Alya, and his heart sort of fluttered, like it did whenever he saw Ladybug.

He really needed to remember that they were one and the same.

He started towards them, but was waylaid by Nino.

"Duuude! Check these tunes out! Jagged Stone just came out with a new album, and you've _got_ to hear it!"

Smiling a little reluctantly, Adrien allowed Nino to jam his brightly coloured headphones on Adrien's head.

Marinette would have to wait.

Throughout their history class with Ms Bustier, Adrien felt keenly aware of the girl sitting behind him. He had to stay focused; he kept almost glancing behind him, but he knew his teacher would notice immediately. At the end of the class, he again started to approach Marinette.

But—

"_Adrikins_!"

Adrien felt like his eardrums had popped from the volume and pitch. As much as he felt Chloe was, deep down, a good person, and his friend, he still couldn't quite repress the shudder he felt whenever she attached herself, like a leech, to his neck. She seemed to think he was all hers, and he disliked the attention, especially when it kept him from doing important things, like transforming into Chat Noir, for example. Or talking to his other friends.

"Adrikins, guess what!"

"What?" His tone was not enthusiastic, to say the least, but Chloe plowed on obliviously.

"You know that new album? Ooh! Of course you do! Well, guess what Chloe got for you!"

"Uhh...what?"

"A signed copy! Am I the best, or am I the best?"

"Sure, Chloe..."

Adrien started looking for Marinette again. He glimpsed her at the bottom of the stairs, looking strangely peeved, but Chloe tugged hard on his arm again, and when he looked back, Marinette was gone.

He finally managed to run into her when the school day was over. Well, more accurately, she ran into him. He was amused to find her reading one of his father's fashion magazine (with himself prominently displayed, of course) while she was talking to Alya. Alya noticed him, but did nothing to stop her friend running smack into him.

Adrien was beginning to think she enjoyed putting Marinette in this sort of position.

Well, Marinette crashed straight into him, and fell backwards with her arms pinwheeling in an almost comical way. The magazine fell with a flutter to the ground, and Adrien half lunged and grabbed one of her arms, narrowly keeping her from a painful tumble.

"Hey Marinette, you okay?"

Her face resembled a fish out of water. A very red fish, and Adrien had trouble keeping a smile from appearing.

"F-f-fine," she stammered. And then she realised he was still holding her hand.

"Waaaaaaaaaa-aaah!" She screamed, and yanked her arm back, then tripping over her own feet, almost fell again. This time, Alya caught her from behind, and propped her back on her feet.

Adrien felt a little worried. Marinette always seemed so out of sorts when he was around. Did she not like him? Did she still think he put that gum on her seat, way back in the beginning of the year?

This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

"Marinette—"

Suddenly, Adrien realised that he'd never actually thought of what to say.

She was looking at him rather expectantly, still a little red in the face.

"I noticed you've got my father's magazine," he improvised. Chat Noir's quick wit wasn't a product of the suit.

"Umm yeah I'm totally into you. I MEAN I'm totally into your fashion's father. I MEAN your father's fassing—fashion! Ohh this is a nightmare..."

Adrien was fairly certain he wasn't supposed to hear that last bit. Maybe even any of it.

"Right! Well, I was thinking...I have a photo shoot tomorrow, and maybe you'd like to come along, see behind the scenes? It gets really boring, and I know having a friend along would make it go much faster."

Marinette looked dumbfounded, jaw agape. Alya nudged her quickly, also shutting her mouth for her.

"Right, yes, I love you! I mean, I'd love to!"

Adrien chuckled, patted her shoulder, and walked away.

He wasn't sure what to make of his tongue-twisted crush. He was sure he was missing something, but he didn't know how to find out what it was.

The next day dawned bright, and Adrien was practically dancing with anticipation. For the first time, he was actively looking forward to a photo shoot. He hoped spending more time with him would make Marinette feel more comfortable around him. He wanted that more than anything. How else would he get his lady to actually fall in love with him in return?

That school day dragged on longer than usual, although he smiled to himself to see Marinette constantly glancing at the clock as well.

At the end of the day, Adrien rushed to his locker, reorganising as quickly as he could, so he could find Marinette. He headed quickly to her locker after that, narrowly missing Chloe on a warpath, and reaching Marinette just as she closed her own locker.

"Hey Marinette!"

She jumped about a foot in the air. Adrien guessed she hadn't noticed him coming.

"Adr-Adrien!"

He smiled at her. While she was still blushing profusely, Adrien was gratified to see her smile in return.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah..." she sort of sighed. Then snapped back to attention. "Yes, I mean yeah! I mean...yeah, I'm ready."

"Okay. Let's go out front, and wait for my car."

In spite of the fact that she had said she was ready, Marinette still took a couple seconds to catch up to him. Glancing back before she caught up, he noticed her looking at her bag, but not actually looking for something. He guessed that that was where her kwami hid.

When they got outside, his bodyguard, the Gorilla, was already waiting. He looked impatient.

"Uh oh...we'd better get going."

It was only a few moments before they were in the park outside of Marinette's home. The photographer, Giuseppe, was already waiting, and he was twitching with his usual manic energy.

The second he set foot near the fountain, he was whisked away by a hairstylist and a make-up artist. It was only a matter of minutes before they deemed him photo ready.

He glanced back at Marinette. She looked enthralled by the process. She'd even plucked up the courage to ask the stylists a few questions, which they answered quickly, being a bit more focused on Adrien.

Then, he was suddenly in front of the camera. He reacted instinctively, smiling, and posing in ways he knew the photographer liked.

"Yes, yes! The boy has spaghetti! He is eating the spaghetti! Oh no, the spaghetti is gone!"

Adrien was very used to the rapid fire prompts by now, changing his position and expression in the microseconds he had was second nature to him.

"No no no no no!" He'd stopped taking photos, and was rubbing the bridge of his nose in a way that told Adrien that Giuseppe thought something was missing.

"You are lacking...ergh...vivacity! Yes that is it! We need the life back in your eyes! You there, girl!"

Adrien looked at Marinette, and she did a double take, looking around as if there were another girl standing around.

"No, I mean you, with the black ponytails! Come here. You are exactly what the picture needs."

Immediately, the hairstylists and makeup artists swarmed her, doing their magic to enhance her already beautiful features.

Then, they all but shoved her at Adrien. Of course she tripped, but Adrien was there to catch her, like he always was. Like he resolved to always be. The camera clicked, and he realised Guiseppe was already going, working with Marinette's tumble as if they had intended for Marinette and Adrien to be almost hugging. Adrien felt a blush creeping up the back of his neck, and he saw Marinette was as red as her Ladybug costume. Immediately, they separated, facing away and feeling very awkward, but the photographer worked with it, clasping their hands together and keeping them facing apart.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur, the photographer adjusting them as he saw fit, sometimes apart, and sometimes almost embarrassingly close. Despite Adrien's proximity to her, Marinette seemed to get her feet under her, and started to enjoy herself, displaying quietly the cool, collected Ladybug he knew her to be. His smiles in the subsequent photos were genuine, and for her.

At the end of it, Giuseppe praised them both, saying he had rarely ever had a better shoot.

He also suggested that Marinette come back for their next one, which had Marinette blushing again, and stumbling over her attempts to explain that she was a better designer than model.

"If anyone has the talent to be both designer and model, Marinette, it's you," Adrien informed her.

Her mouth moved, but she didn't seem capable of speech at the moment. At last she got out a quiet, "th-thank you!"

Adrien smiled again, and hoped that they were making progress.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Who is the girl in these pictures, Adrien?"

His father was looking at him coldly, and Adrien kind of quailed beneath his gaze.

"Marinette, father. She's in my class, and Giuseppe thought she'd make a good addition to the shoot."

Adrien's father's expression didn't change, but Adrien thought he saw a softening in his posture.

"Is she a model?"

"No—I mean, she's a designer. She wants to be one, anyway. Although, I thought she was a good model an—"

His father held up his hand, and Adrien fell silent immediately. The austere colours, and the fact that his father remained at the top of the stairs in the atrium while Adrien stood at the bottom, created the impression of a severe king addressing his subject.

And Adrien hated the comparison. He wished his father showed more affection, the way he had before...before his mother had disappeared.

"A designer, you say? This gives me an idea."

And he returned to his study before Adrien could even think of asking what his idea was.

"You only have one day to work on your fashion piece, and it must be your OWN design. In ten hours, your finished presentation will be judged by none other than the great fashion designer, Gabriel Agreste, the father of our very own student, Adrien Agreste. In fact, Adrien will model the winning design in his next photoshoot! And now, to announce this year's theme: Derby hats!"

So this was his father's idea.

He wondered if he was deliberately testing Marinette, or her appearance at the shoot had just inspired him.

Knowing him, it was probably the first.

Later, Adrien approached Marinette and Alya, the latter of which was looking through a sketch pad.

"Wow Alya, those are some awesome designs; I didn't know you had such mad skills!" Adrien had a sneaking suspicion, however, that they were Marinette's. A suspicion which was confirmed seconds later.

"Uhh, thanks Adrien, but I can't take the credit. These sick designs belong to Marinette! Off the chain, right?"

"You're super talented Marinette, you seriously have a good chance at winning!"

"Well—uh, yeah, I like, um, designs that, um, go upwards. While stopping—I mean! Uh, oh, thanks?" Marinette stumbled through her words again, while going through the strangest series of expressions and hand motions Adrien had ever seen.

"Sure! And, good luck. Maybe I'll be wearing your derby at father's next photoshoot!"

As Adrien left, he silently cursed himself. Had he said or done something wrong, again, to make Marinette so shy around him? He glanced back, and nearly ran back when he saw Marinette go crashing into the wall she'd been sitting in front of. He stopped when she catapulted herself back onto her feet, saying "I'm ok, I'm ok, I'm ok, I'm ok," to anyone who would listen.

Adrien started to smile again. How did she run into the wall in the first place?

Chat Noir jumped over a chimney, and found his love having just landed herself. She hadn't noticed him yet, so he took a moment to gauge the situation. She didn't seem particularly bothered by something, aside from the winged vermin flying in plane shapes to the Eiffel Tower. Chat Noir knew that if she knew he had found out her secret identity, she would have been bothered as Marinette, but he was also sure that it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Now this is weirder than weird," he heard Ladybug say.

Time to make his presence known, and what better way than with a joke?

"Birds of a feather, flock together!"

And then his damned allergies kicked in, and he sneezed.

"Ah-CHOOO!"

Marinette looked at him, rather dumbfounded-ly.

"Sorry—I'b allergic to feathers," he said sheepishly, his nose kind of stuffy. He waited for Marinette to think of Chat Noir—but any sort of recognition wasn't forthcoming. Did she really care so little for Chat Noir, that she wouldn't notice he shared an allergy with Adrien Agreste?

But he immediately dismissed the thought. Lots of people were allergic to feathers, and Marinette was probably still reeling from the fact that she'd won the competition.

"Geshundheit," Marinette said, smiling a little.

Adrien sneezed again before managing a somewhat pathetic thanks.

He was glad to see her feeling more confident, and to spare her feelings he turned away, still holding the hat with the accursed feathers, before he succumbed to his allergies again. He really hoped the feathers would be replaced with fake ones before the shoot.

"Your friend—Miss Dupain-Cheng—did well today. I'm frankly surprised at her creativity. We'll have to make a few adjustments; sneezing on the catwalk would do little for our image, especially since I've invited Audrey Bourgeois to the event. As the designer, Miss Dupain-Cheng will be attending, of course. I hope she carries herself as well as she designed her derby."

Adrien was used to his father's backhanded compliments, but he wished he would be nicer, especially since Marinette had won the competition so spectacularly. But he knew it was a lost cause.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, father."

"Hmmmm," was the only response, before his father once again returned to his study. In spite of Marinette's victory, Adrien felt a little empty.

As he practiced the piano, all he looked at was the photo of his mother which he kept on the piano. He wondered what she would have thought of Marinette.

Nathaniel was sent out of the classroom, and Adrien was glad. He knew he shouldn't be—the red haired artist was getting in trouble after all—but he couldn't help it, in this instance. Nathaniel had been drawing himself as a superhero, saving Marinnette, and Adrien could not help feeling jealous. Nathaniel might have a crush on Marinette, but Adrien had had one first. Not that he'd actually done anything about it, yet.

He was going to tell her. He was going to just walk up to her, and tell her. _I love you_. That was all. Three simple words. I love you.

And yet, they were so difficult.

When he had been protecting Marinette from the Evillustrator, he couldn't help flirting. She had been so much sassier than she normally was, and he loved it. Proof that Marinette was the one for him. It had been his pleasure to defeat Evillustrator, although in the end, he hadn't actually done much. But working with Marinette...even without her mask, she really was Ladybug, and he loved that.

It was Valentine's day tomorrow, and Adrien needed to tell her. But he was just finding it so _hard_. What happened to the suave charm of Chat Noir? Why couldn't he be as forthright now as he was when he wore a mask?

"Plagg!"

The contrarian kwami had just waved a piece of the stinkiest piece of camembert ever under his nose.

"Plagg! That's disgusting!"

"It's CAMEMBERT! The most delicious, beautiful cheese in the UNIVERSE! And besides, all your moaning and sighing was making me sick."

He spewed green, foul smelling bubbles to illustrate his point.

"I NEED CAMEMBERT!"

"Ugh Plagg! You only think with your stomach! I'm trying to think of a way to—"

"Tell Marinette you love her yeah, I know. Look at how I approach cheese; first, I introduce myself, 'why hello there, camembert, such a pleasure to EAT YOU!' And then I gobble her up mmm! No need for conversation, just nice gooey cheese!"

"Remind me never to go to you for advice," Adrien said, rolling his eyes.

Then, he had an idea. His primary appeal as Chat Noir was his puns, wasn't it? And he knew for a fact Ladybug was only pretending to hate them. He thought so, anyway. It was probably because she was so focused on the mission at hand that she wasn't laughing at them. Right?

Adrien hoped so.

So maybe he could make a _paw_-some poem for her, complete with puns!

No that was a stupid idea. Well, maybe not the poem bit...

Smiling to himself, Adrien got a pencil and notebook, and got to work.

_Red and black, and bluebell too,_

_I want to tell you, I love you!_

No, that was too short. Too...insincere. Adrien scribbled it out. Was he writing this for Ladybug, or Marinette?

_Needle and thread,_

_Baking bread,_

_Creative you are,_

_So near, yet so far._

_It's Valentine's day,_

_So what do you say?_

_My heart belongs to you,_

_Will you be true?_

Adrien scribbled that one out as well. It was too...demanding, he felt, and it only took her at the surface. Adrien decided to write a poem for Marinette, _and_ Ladybug, though how he was going to manage it, he didn't know, yet.

His efforts carried him to the next school day, and he hadn't made any significant progress.

"Adrien, I hope what you're writing has to do with my lesson," Miss Bustier said. "Can you tell me what I just said?"

"'That's why in most fairytales the prince breaks the spell by kissing the princess because only love conquers hate.'"

He may have been paying more attention to his love letter, but that didn't mean he'd allow his grades to slip. His father would have been furious if he had. As the bell rang, he reviewed his work.

_Your hair is black as night,_

_Your pretty bluebell eyes,_

_I wonder who you are beneath that strong disguise._

_Each day we see each other_

_And I hope that you'll be mine,_

_Together our love could be so true,_

_Please, will you be my Valentine?_

Sighing, he crumpled it up, and threw it away. It sounded a bit needy, and it didn't even rhyme properly! This was a disaster.

He and Marinette were the last ones out, but he was quickly waylaid by Chloe, _again_, and didn't have time to wonder what Marinette was doing before Chloe was asking him to sign what was clearly the bottom of one of his posters, under some bogus excuse of a petition for hamsters.

He decided escape was better than drawing attention to Marinette in this instance.

It was a disheartened Adrien that went home with his bodyguard.

Adrien was staring at the Ladyblog again. It was his, admittedly sad, favourite pastime.

"So she's. Got eyes, arms, legs, big deal! Ha! How can you possibly be in love with Ladybug? You don't even know her that well!"

"You don't know anything about love."

"Oh sure I do! I love cheddar, I love swiss, and I LOVE camembert!"

Adrien let out a muffled groan, and then walked to his huge windows. If all he had for advice in the love department was a stinky, cheese loving, floating cat, he was really in trouble.

"Awww, is the poor boy frustrated because he can't finish the poem for his sweetheart?"

"I don't need a poem when I can tell her to her face," Adrien resolved. "I love you."

"Dleeugh, gross! You're making me lose my appetite!"

Plagg gulped down another wedge.

"Well, almost."

"Better get a handle on that stomach, Plagg! I will tell her, and I promise I'll tell her as soon as I lay eyes on her! If I share my feelings, she's bound to fall for me! 'Only love breaks the spell', after all!"

"EEEEWWWWWWWW!"

She was there, right in front of him, her face inches away from his. All he had to do was open his mouth, and say it. _Say it!_ Nothing had ever been harder!

And then he saw, behind her—idiot! He should never have distracted her, or himself!

"Ladybug, I— _Look out!_"

He felt the arrow hit, and dissolve into his spine. He tried to fight, really he did. He said her name. _Ladybug_. As if that could save him.

And then—

"I loathe you!"

"Chat Noir, snap out of it."

Of course it was 'his problem', she was always ordering him around!

"You're nothing to me! I hate you!"

Never had he spoken truer words.

All the passion he had felt for her was turned on it's head, and he felt a blinding hatred for her, an emotion he'd never felt so intensely. He had her. Her! That woman, always leading him on! He had her now, though, and he'd be damned if he was ever going to let her go. He started squeezing her hard, using his super hero strength to do the most damage. But she stepped on his foot, and nearly catapulted him off of his stick.

He could only cling to it as he watched her, the object of his all-consuming detestation, swing away on her yoyo.

When the stick settled, he climbed onto the roof, where he was helped by Dark Cupid.

He was _really_ looking forward to this fight.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Plagg was having the time of his life.

"Ahahahaha! Can you believe all the horrible thoughtless things you said to her?"

"You would think it's funny, wouldn't you, Plagg?"

"Big deal! You've got all these fancy presents from other girls, you're bound to like one of them! Or at least, make me feel sick over one!"

Plagg tossed him a heart shaped one, which he snatched out of the air.

"Oh, no Plagg. I may have blown my chances with Ladybug as Chat Noir, but I still have a shot with Marinette as Adrien!"

"You know, if you just told her the truth I'm sure things would be easier."

"And risk her hating me forever? No thanks."

"At any rate, it's rude not to look at all these cards and presents, even if you won't respond!"

Adrien sighed.

"Maybe you're right."

He looked at the one in his hand.

_Your hair shines like the sun,_

_Your eyes are gorgeous green._

_I look at you and wonder_

_Your innermost thoughts and dreams._

_Yes, your valentine I will be,_

_Our love will be so true,_

_Together for eternity,_

_My heart belongs to you._

Adrien's heart skipped a beat. It was an answer to his poem! But how...?

Marinette!

She had been the last to leave the classroom! He didn't know why she was rooting through the bin, but that explained what she had been doing when he had been talking to Chloe!

But...did the valentine mean...she liked him?

'_Our love..._' that's what she'd written. Could she..._love_ him?!

The next day at school, Adrien was single minded in his pursuit of Marinette, he sidestepped Nino, dodged Chloe, and made a beeline for Marinette and Alya.

Why did girls have to travel together? It made things so much more awkward than they needed to be.

"Hey Marinette, can I talk to you, alone?"

Her face went slack, very white, and then very red. Alya giggled, and Adrien tried to ignore that.

"See you in class, girl!"

Marinette grabbed Alya, visibly panicking, but Alya disentangled herself, winked, and left.

Was Alya trying to set them up?

"Uh...hey Adrest-I MEAN Adrin—Adrien! Ohhhh..."

"Marinette, I was just wondering...well, I got this card in the mail, yesterday...it wasn't signed. I was wondering if you wrote it, actually."

He produced the card with a flourish.

Marinette stumbled, snatched the card, and almost fell backwards. Adrien caught her again.

"You okay, Marinette?"

"Y-yes—yeah, I'm fine."

She looked at the card, opened it, and read it.

A blush slowly crept up on her face.

"So did you write it?"

Adrien didn't mean to be pushy, but he couldn't stand the anticipation. This was when his Lady would admit to writing it, and he could say he'd written the original...

And THEN!

They could get married, live happily ever after in a house, have three kids, no four! And a cat and a dog, and a hamster! And they could own an island, and live off nothing but fruit, and don't you just LOVE ham—!

"Adrien, I—"

Marinette was growing steadily more red.

"Yeah...sure! I wrote it it was a scream! No, I'm gonna scream! No! You scream—I mean! No!"

Adrien felt himself deflate.

"You...didn't write it?"

Marinette gasped a little.

"NO! I mean...only if you didn't want me to..."

"What?"

Marinette blanched again.

"BATHROOM! I, uh, need to use the bathroom!"

And she ran away, leaving Adrien feeling a little lost, and hopeless.

He was sure she had written it, she seemed to have said something like that in her stammering, but...she always acted like...she couldn't stand to be in his presence. What did it all mean? Was it something he'd done? His sheltered existence meant he had no experience with friends, or girlfriends. Maybe that had something to do with it. But who...who could he ask? Who would tell him?

"Duuude! You okay?"

Nino came from behind him, like some sort of saviour.

"Nino! Perfect timing!"

"Uhh...really? Why?"

"I need to ask you something."

"All right, shoot."

"Do you know what Marinette thinks of me? She wrote me this poem, I think, but every time I try to talk to her, she stutters like there's no tomorrow, and then runs away! Did I do something wrong? Oh! Does she still hate me for the gum incident?"

"Uhh..."

Nino looked very awkward, his eyes shifting from left to right, not meeting Adrien's, with a hand to the back of his neck.

"Uhh...well...have you tried asking her dude?"

"Yes, but she had to run to the ladies'."

"Oh, uh..well then, what about Alya, dude?"

"You're right! See you in class!"

Adrien raced up the stairs, but was interrupted by the bell. Questions would have to wait.

He finally caught up to them at lunch, although Marinette made some excuse and left quickly.

"Alya, can we talk?"

"Sure, what about?"

"Marinette."

"Marinette? Uhh...well, she just..."

"It's about her. I tried talking to her, but she just..."

"Blubbered and ran away?"

"Well..."

"No sweat, I got you covered. What do you want to know?"

"Well I found a Valentines card yesterday, and I think she wrote it—"

"She did, go on."

Adrien blinked a little. He hadn't even shown her the card yet.

"Well...every time I try to talk to her she, well, like you said..."

"Blubbers and then runs away?"

Alya didn't look surprised.

"Yeah. I was wondering...is she mad at me, or something?"

"No, no way!" Alya was quick to reassure him. "More like...uh, well she should really tell you herself, hang on!"

And Alya dashed after Marinette.

There was a sudden flurry of yellow, black, and white, and suddenly Adrien was slowly collapsing under the weight of Chloe Bourgeois.

"Adrikins!"

His ears throbbed, and they weren't even his super sensitive cat ones.

"Guess wha-at!"

"What?"

This was feeling oddly familiar. Adrien's tone was one of belaboured resignation.

"There's a movie competition, and my daddykins is the judge! With me in the movie, we're sure to win!"

He saw Marinette and Alya again, and he tried to relieve himself of Chloe, but it didn't work. Marinette looked first angry, then very sad, and he watched as she walked away, head drooping.

"Aren't you LISTENING?!"

"Chloe, I'm pretty sure the competition needs more than two people in the group that makes the movie."

It was only then that he managed to yank himself free of her, and he walked off, too late to go after Marinette, and regretting his missed opportunity.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Adrien knew something was wrong when Le Grande Paris Hotel disappeared in a puff of smoke, right outside the school window. There were a few screams, and many gasps.

"Children, for your own safety, go home immediately!" Miss Bustier called, and there was a mass exodus. Adrien followed everyone out, and then split off, running into the bathroom. He saw Marinette duck into a janitor's closet.

"Plagg, claws out!"

It only took a second, and then Chat Noir jumped out the bathroom, window, and onto the roof, awaiting his Lady, who didn't disappoint.

"Did you see Mayor Bourgeois' hotel?"

"I don't see it anywhere," Chat joked. "Maybe I can pull it out of your ear?"

"This isn't a joke, Chat Noir!"

"Well, it disappeared in a _paw_-ff of smoke, right? If it's not in your ear, it's in someone's hat!"

Ladybug groaned.

"If it's in anyone's ears, it's in yours, Chat Noir. Your head is certainly big enough!"

Chat Noir grinned, and followed his lady when she swung away, towards the source of the commotion.

On their way, they passed a giant tv screen affixed to a building. Nadja Chamack was reporting on the disappearance.

"A strange masked man, wearing a top hat, coattails, and carrying a wand was sighted a few minutes before Le Grande Paris Hotel disappeared in a puff of smoke. Eyewitness reports state that he called himself the 'Magician of Misfortune', before waving his wand, making the hotel disappear, and stepping into his own hat!"

Nadja didn't look like she believed what she was saying.

"The Magician of Misfortune has not been seen in the intervening time. We can only hope Ladybug and Chat Noir are on their way to rescue the people who are still inside the vanished building."

Chat Noir and Ladybug shared a glance.

"Guess you were right about the hat," Ladybug said.

"Of course I was. My _feline_-s are never wrong!"

Ladybug glared at him, exasperation written all over her lovely face. He flashed her his cheekiest grin.

The screen fizzled, and colourful sparks flashed off of it. Then, a laughing face, complete with mask and top hat, appeared.

"I am the Magician of Misfortune! You made fun of my tricks once too often, _Chloe Bourgeois!_ Now you will never see your home and father again! Ladybug, Chat Noir! You will turn yourselves and your miraculouses over to me, or see the Eiffel Tower, France's most poignant monument, _disappear!_"

The Magician of Misfortune cackled again, before the screen cut out, and went to black.

"This isn't good," Ladybug said.

"Yeah..we'd better take the feather out of his cap before pigeons come out of his sleeves!"

"Aren't you allergic to feathers?"

Chat smiled; he hadn't expected her to remember.

"Why yes, Bugaboo I am! But don't worry, I can get through anything for you, m'lady!"

Chat Noir struck a pose.

"Don't call me 'Bugaboo'," Ladybug snapped, before swinging away.

"Awww," Chat Noir grumbled, sagging.

"She'll fall for me one day!"

Extending his stick, he followed her to the Eiffel Tower just as it began raining.

Once there, they found no sign of the Magician.

"I don't understand—he said he wanted our miraculous, or he'd make the tower disappear. He never told us where though."

"Well, the tower does make the most sense right now; it's the only place he mentioned. Maybe he's waiting to see if it's really just us, and not one of your tricks, my lady."

"How right you are!"

The sinister voice came from behind, and they saw the Magician of Misfortune stepping out of a swirling hat, which he quickly replaced on his head once he was completely through.

He lifted his wand high, and Ladybug ripped it out of his hands with her yoyo, snapping it in half as soon as she had it in her hands.

To both of the superheroes' great surprise, no butterfly flew out.

The Magician cackled again.

"As if it would be that easy!"

He pulled another wand from his sleeve, raised it high, and swished it down. A flock of doves appeared, and immediately headed for Chat Noir.

"Oh nooo!"

Chat Noir started running around the tour, sneezing, and trying his level best to get away.

He glanced back, and saw, through the doves, Ladybug getting wrapped up in a seemingly endless, sentient line of colourful handkerchiefs which were tied together.

Chat Noir skidded to a stop. Hadn't he just promised Ladybug that he could get through anything for her?

Whirling his staff, he attacked the doves back, mid-sneezing.

Every time he hit one it disappeared in an explosion of feathers, and was replaced by a rabbit, which didn't actually seem to be doing much. Soon the feathery fiends were no more. However, Ladybug was still having difficulty; the handkerchiefs were slowly but surely dragging her to the Magician of Misfortune, and with her hands tied, she couldn't protect her miraculous.

"Rrraaaaaaaaah," Chat Noir yelled, leaping high, and bringing his staff down hard on the handkerchiefs, which recoiled, away from Ladybug, like an injured snake. Grabbing Ladybug, Chat Noir leapt off the tower, across some roofs, and out of sight of the Magician.

"What are we going to do, Bugaboo? This guy had us tap dancing like fancy mice! And I prefer being the cat!"

"And if we don't hurry, the Eiffel Tower will disappear."

"It's been my experience that magic never holds up under a good push of luck, milady!"

"Good thinking!"

Ladybug smiled at him, and Chat Noir felt a purr beginning to build up in his chest.

"Lucky charm!"

Out fell...a pair of tap shoes.

"When I said he had us tap dancing, I didn't mean it literally. What's your plan, Ladybug?"

Ladybug looked around, squinting in the way that told Chat Noir she was about to come up with something brilliant, if a little complicated.

"I've got it!"

"Okay?"

"How well can you actually dance, kitty?"

"Pretty well, if I do say so myself. Why?"

"You're going to go to the tier above him, and make as much noise with these as you possibly can. While he's distracted, with the noise and trying to find you, I'll snatch his hat. That's where the akuma must be."

"I always wanted polka dotted shoes!"

Ladybug smiled again, then swung away.

Chat Noir gave himself a second to appreciate the smile before he snuck around to the second tier of the Eiffel Tower.

It was show time.

Chat Noir was having fun. Too much fun, if truth be told. He couldn't hear what was going on below him, but until Ladybug gave him a conclusive sign, he was going to keep tapping until all of Paris rang with his rhythm! He thought it might already.

A black butterfly fluttered past him, and Ladybug's yoyo zipped by soon after. The hero herself showed up a moment later, wincing, with her thumbs up. Chat Noir stopped dancing.

Untying the laces of the shoes, he tossed them in the air as Ladybug shouted, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The swirling beetles focused on the empty lot where Le Grande Paris Hotel had been, and it was soon restored.

They made it to the bottom of the tower before they were swarmed by the press.

Chat Noir pushed his own luck, and draped his arm over her shoulders, but he was quickly put back in his place with a sharp movement and a glare from his love.

Smiling sheepishly, he left well enough alone.

"Then what's the point of keeping me here, if he's never going to show up, Nathalie?!"

"Don't forget to practice the piano before you go to bed."

Adrien stormed back into his room, and stopped at his piano.

"What's the matter, didn't Ladybug reject your dinner anyway? What's the point of going out if she's not coming?"

"Because, Plagg, Ladybug said no because she, as Marinette, is going out for ice cream with Nino, Alya, and me. Or I was supposed to be going, anyway. When I asked her out to dinner on the roof, it was because I forgot. But it looks like I won't be making it to ice cream."

"Well, you could sneak out. Do you think they have camembert flavour?"

"Gross, Plagg! But sneaking out, that's not a bad idea."

Adrien put his phone into the speakers, and started playing the piece his father always wanted him to play.

Then, he opened the window...just as Nathalie stepped in.

It only took her a second to work it out.

"Adrien, your father expressly forbid going out today. I'm sorry, but we have to follow his orders."

Nathalie beckoned to his gorilla-like bodyguard.

"Your bodyguard will stay here until we can be sure that you won't disobey your father."

Adrien sighed. There was no way he'd be able to escape in time for ice cream with his bodyguard in the room.

The boy trudged to the piano, quickly messaged Nino, and started reluctantly practicing.

His bodyguard did not leave him alone until sundown, when Adrien announced that his friends had probably finished with ice cream, and he was going to bed.

As soon as the door to his bedroom clicked shut behind his bodyguard, Adrien transformed. Maybe he could still salvage the evening. While he didn't think Ladybug would come to dessert on the roof (it was now too late for dinner, after all), he thought he could at least check on Marinette, give her a nice surprise, even if she had no particular attachment to Chat Noir. And if Ladybug did show up, it was a win-win!

In seconds, he had opened the window, and leapt out.

Candles, rose petals, pillows, and macarons from Marinette's parent's bakery. Chat Noir knew for a fact she loved raspberry macarons. They were accompanied by _his_ favourite: passionfruit.

He glanced over to Marinette's house (he'd chosen a conveniently close roof). He was surprised to see Marinette standing on her balcony, leaning against the metal railing.

She looked...miserable.

Had something happened?

He leapt to her railing, an easy feat.

"Marinette, right?"

She startled, but not as badly as when he surprised her as Adrien.

"Chat Noir? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be doing superhero stuff?"

"Maybe...to be honest, you looked a little sad, and I wanted to know if something was wrong?"

She looked surprised.

"You...well, I was going out...with my friends, and one didn't show up. I was really looking forward to spending time with him..."

A pang of guilt, and a little thrill. If Marinette had looked forward to seeing him so much, she must really care for him!

"I'm sorry."

"What for? It's not your fault."

Well, he could still make it up to her in some capacity.

"Why don't you come with me?"

Marinette looked at him curiously, then took his outstretched hand.

"Close your eyes," he smiled, "and hold tight!"

He took her to the rooftop balcony, and had her keep her eyes closed until all the candles were lit, and the macarons were properly displayed on a decorative plate.

"Okay, you can look now."

It was very gratifying to see her reaction to the scene he'd set.

"But...what is this for?"

"Well...originally it was for Ladybug. But she'd said this afternoon she couldn't come...I guess I did it anyway just in case, but I'm just as happy letting _you_ enjoy this."

"I'm sorry."

She looked just as guilty as he'd felt a few moments ago.

"Never mind! Let's just enjoy this as friends!"

Chat Noir smiled warmly at her, but she still looked worried.

"But you made all this...for Ladybug, and she never showed?"

"No...but that's okay. There will be plenty of other opportunities to tell her I love her."

Marinette started. Had she really been that oblivious to his advances?

"She looked at him, as if she were searching for a trace of anger in his face.

But she found none. Tentatively, she smiled. Chat Noir's smile widened in return.

"As...friends, then."

They settled down to enjoy the macarons.

"So...you're really in love with Ladybug?"

Chat Noir wondered how to answer the question.

"Well...yeah. I mean...she's so clever, and beautiful..."

"But you hardly know her!"

Chat Noir suppressed a chuckle.

"That doesn't matter. No matter who she is under the mask, I know I love that girl. There's no one I trust more. She always comes up with the right solution, at exactly the right time. I may not know her without the mask, but with the mask, i know her better than anyone could! I know being Chat Noir has made me a better person, and I know I'm better able to be myself this way. I hope that's true for Ladybug, but even if it isn't, and even if she rejects me for years to come, I know I'll still be there for her, I'll always love my lady!"

He heard a sniff beside him.

Marinette was wiping her eyes, it looked like she was crying.

"Marinette...?"

"That was just...what if she doesn't ever accept you? How can you say you love her so easily?"

"The most important things just have to be said! I don't know if she even believes I actually love her, but I will say I do until she does. And if she never accepts my love? Well...somehow I don't think she'll _never_ feel the way I do. I have to believe that, anyway."

Marinette looked at him through watery eyes.

"That—that's beautiful Chat Noir..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," Chat Noir said, somewhat aghast.

Marinette gave a chuckle which sounded a bit as if her nose was stuffed.

"I'm not sad, I'm...inspired. I've been too shy and clumsy to tell the guy I like that I like him...but if it's really important, you have to!"

Chat Noir felt a little panicked. She liked someone? Who? Chat Noir wanted to find this someone, and scare the living daylights out of him.

She stood again.

"Thank you, Chat Noir. For cheering me up, and—LOOK OUT!"

She was pointing to something behind him, and he whipped around, drawing his staff.

He saw two..somethings coming at them at top speed. He whirled his stick, blocking the, what looked like, ice cream and causing it to splatter on the roof and railing in front of him.

A giant ice-cream man was shouting for Marinette, the...party pooper?

Grabbing Marinette, he jumped across several roofs, dodging blobs of ice cream, which he saw was freezing people below, as this massive ice cream monster was singing.

"_I'm Glaciator, the mean ice cream man, escape my fury if you can!"_

"Another supervillain in love with you?!"

"No, that's André the ice cream guy!"

"The sweetheart's matchmaker?"

"Yeah...it's a long story."

They finally made it back to Marinette's place, and Chat Noir quickly deposited Marinette.

"Stay here, you'll be safe."

He turned back, but was pulled to a sudden stop. Turning, he saw Marinette grabbing his tail just like Ladybug did.

"Chat Noir? Thank you. For everything."

"No problem, Marinette," Chat Noir replied, smiling, before leaping off to do battle with the giant, sweet, monster.

Adrien had just de-transformed, after fighting the weirdest villain he'd ever had to face—a giant baby—when Marinette called his name, and caught up to him.

She looked like she was dying to tell him something.

Was he...the one she liked, from that thing with Glaciator?

"Marinette? What are you doing here?"

"I came here to do some sketching. I can't believe we've run into each other here. Hey, would you like to—"

His bodyguard honked the car horn, and Adrien could barely stop himself from shooting a glare in his direction.

"Hang pout?"

Wait, what?

"Hang about? No! Hag out?"

His bodyguard honked again.

Was Marinette trying to ask him out?

"Oh, forget it. Better not keep your guard waiting."

Adrien could have cataclysm-ed his guard right then and there.

"Uh, ok. But we can take you home if you wanted."

There had to be some way to work this out.

"Oh! Uh...no, it's okay, I'll take a coleslaw home. Thanks!"

Adrien was a little disappointed, but he wasn't going to push her. And had she said—coleslaw?

"Oka-ay...enjoy your meal then," he couldn't resist adding. "See you at school tomorrow!"

With the valentine card, her resolution on the roof, and that admittedly strange conversation, did Marinette like him? If so, that meant Ladybug liked him! His love, very possibly, was requited as strongly as he felt it for her. A smile popped up on his face, and it didn't fade for a long, long time.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"You should have trusted me son. It's important for you and I to be able to trust each other. If you were to begin hiding the truth from me, then I'd naturally start imagining all kinds of things."

"Right, father. Thank you."

Adrien turned his attention back to the film, at something of a loss.

His father had never expressed concern for him, like this. Adrien thought he'd never get to see this movie, without some insane escapade like he'd done today. He may not have seen the movie with Marinette, but he now had several pictures with her, and the tickling notion that people now thought she was his girlfriend! And for once, she'd barely stuttered in his company. That had to be progress.

His father shifted beside him, and Adrien was sharply reminded of his presence. He began to feel a little awkward. He hadn't seen his father for any extended amount of time for quite a while, and he wasn't quite sure how to react. He felt lucky that they were watching a movie together, an activity which didn't require conversation.

The most he'd seen him recently, was when Simon Says had gone after him, and Adrien had been Chat Noir at the time.

Then there was the whole Collector business. He still couldn't believe that Ladybug had thought his father might be Hawkmoth! To be fair, however, all the evidence had pointed to him until he'd been akumatized.

But hadn't Chat Noir fooled everyone, when Adrien asked Wayem to stand in for him?

Adrien caught himself. There was no way his father was Hawkmoth, and until they had more solid evidence, there was no sense driving himself insane trying to figure out who the elusive villain was.

Adrien shifted into a more comfortable position, and began enjoying the movie properly.

Adrien finished the charm, and held it up.

"What do you think, Plagg?"

"Uhh, what's the point of giving someone something if it can't be eaten and doesn't have a scent! If you gave me that, I'd be seriously offended!

"Maybe I should get a second opinion on this."

"Who are you going to ask, that ape you call a bodyguard?"

"No. My dad said he'd be there for supper tonight. If he does show, I'll ask him. He is the world's greatest fashion designer after all!"

"Does that count as fashion?"

"Probably not, but there's still a design process involved, and who better than my father to ask about design?"

"What is it?"

Adrien nearly flinched at the cold tone.

"It's a gift I've made for Marinette. We're organising a surprise birthday party for her."

"Marinette?"

"You know, the girl who won the fashion contest? She made the hat I wore at the fashion show. She's a really awesome girl and she loves helping others—"

"I don't remember giving you permission to go to your friend's birthday party."

Adrien's heart stopped for a second.

"Please, father! Marinette deserves to have all her friends there."

His father looked at Nathalie, and the moment seemed to last forever.

"Alright then."

"Thank you father!"

The next day, at the party, Adrien gave her his present.

"Happy birthday, Marinette!"

He saw her expression go from generally happy to quite excited (once Alya shut her gaping mouth for her), and Adrien found his own smile growing in return.

When the lady with the crazy hair appeared, shouting for Marinette, Adrien knew he had to get her someplace safe; not only so Befana wouldn't find her, but so she could transform in private.

Chat Noir tried knocking her out of the picture, briefly, but she set her fairies on him.

"I thought fairies were supposed to be nice!"

He heard Marinette calling for him.

"Just a second! Stay put!"

He saw the rest of their classmates and friends defending her, but they were losing quickly. He knocked the fairy out—sorry Mrs. Dupain-Cheng—and then he grabbed Marinette before Befana had time to turn around.

"You must be pretty cool for all your friends to defend you like that. So what made your grandma so ticked off at you?"

"I guess she wanted me to spend more time with her."

They landed at the Eiffel Tower, where Chat Noir knew she would have the privacy she needed.

"You'll be safe here."

And he dashed off to fight the supervillain.

Befana was flying down the street, singing some villain-y song, and followed by more fairies than she had had before. He extended his stick across her path, knocking her off her broom-like bike.

"Chat Noir comes too unexpectedly—, wait, how do I make that rhyme?"

"Fighting evil, with his lady!"

Ladybug dropped in next to him, and he grinned.

"Right!"

He loved it when his lady participated in his comedy.

Befana sicked her fairies on them again, but Chat Noir panicked when he saw her heading to the Eiffel Tower.

"We can't let her go that way!"

"Why not?" Ladybug asked.

"I hid her granddaughter there!"

And then Chat Noir realised that Ladybug _was_ her granddaughter, and he felt a little stupid. Then he felt clever. By worrying for Marinette, he was demonstrating to his lady that he had no idea who she was.

He jumped onto the back of the bike, and tried to redirect Befana, but it didn't work, to say the least.

Suddenly he and Ladybug were fighting Befana and the fairies, and getting backed into a corner. Now it was up to her lucky charm.

That night, back at the party, Adrien was once again presenting his gift to her.

"Hey Marinette. You never got a chance to open it with all that was going on."

Marinette looked awed. It was the work of a second for her to open it, and when she did, he had to smile at her expression.

"I always carry the lucky charm you gave me wherever I go, and I think it works pretty well. So, I figured it was my turn to make one for you."

"You're so wonderful! Ooh, it's wonderful, what a charm! Uh, the charm, I mean, I'll wear the charm. Wha, uh, basically, um, thank you?"

Marinette smiled a little vaguely, and turned to leave. Wary of her parents, who were watching from behind, Adrien grabbed her arm. The spectators quickly left the vicinity, but Adrien could tell that they'd wanted to stay and overhear the conversation.

"Marinette, wait!"

"Uh...yes? I mean, yeah?"

"Look, there's something I've been meaning to tell you...I—"

Damn...why was speaking somehow so difficult. Maybe it was the way her beautiful, bluebell eyes were gazing at him...

Focus!

"I like you, Marinette. It's okay if you don't—like me, that is, but I really do, and I just wanted...I just wanted you to know that."

Marinette looked absolutely stunned, and Adrien felt stupid, and embarrassed.

"Sorry," he muttered quickly, and started to leave himself, feeling a blush creeping up, and not a nice one.

"Uh, wait, no!"

Adrien felt a flutter of hope.

"Adrien...I—I mean—"

Marinette was turning a very bright red, and it looked like she was really building up to something.

"I—IloveyouAdrienAgresteIhavesincedayonebutIcouldn'ttellyouforsomestupidreasonandILOVEYOU!"

Adrien stood there for a second, trying to work through what she'd said...and then, an almost hysterical grin grew on his face.

"Is that true, Marinette?"

She looked stunned at her own daring, but she slowly nodded.

He heard a camera click, turned, and saw Alya with her indomitable phone. And then—"FINALLY!"

Rose was shrieking. Everyone was laughing, and Alya was gushing about how it was about time she'd got up the courage to spill the beans.

Anxiously, Adrien glanced at her parents—and they were smiling, as proud and happy as anything.

"She talks about you a lot," Mrs. Dupain-Cheng said warmly. "Honestly, I'm not surprised!"

Someone—Alix—shoved Marinette into him, he caught her, of course, and Alya took the opportunity to take more photos.

Marinette was still red, but also..calm, in control. More like Ladybug.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, "I never imagined an audience when I told you."

"I've seen worse, Marinette. Besides, you didn't stutter once just then."

Marinette started, and looked very puzzled.

"See, girl! All you needed was to get it out," Alya crowed.

"Aww man, Chloe's going to be so mad! But hey, that gives me a chance, right?" Kim said jovially.

"And Lila, dude," Nino added.

"Plus every other fan girl,"Mylene said.

"Who cares? Marinette and Adrien are so obviously together, they're going to give up—", Alix said.

"Eventually," Alya said.

"Guys, I appreciate your support, really, I do," Adrien said. "But last I checked our relationship wasn't a group discussion..."

Everyone started chuckling, and shuffling their feet in slight embarrassment, before dispersing to enjoy the party again.

Adrien realised he was still holding on to Marinette, but she looked very comfortable in his arms, and he was loathe to let her go.

"So, what do you think, Marinette? Are we properly a couple now?"

"Yeah...I MEAN, only if you..want..to!"

Adrien chuckled.

"I guess we didn't _totally_ get rid of your stammer. And yes, I would love for us to be official."

Marinette squealed a little, before throwing herself against him again.

Adrien laughed a little.

This was turning out to be the best evening of his life.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Adrien felt he was walking on a cloud. He finally had the girl of his dreams! And he was never letting her go. Well, as Chat Noir, he had no chance. But he could take it, he knew, because he had her as Adrien. He'd keep up appearances, of course, but when she rejected him again, it wouldn't sting, as he already had the girl.

A part of him felt guilty for lying to her, but another part thought he would regret it if he ruined their relationship just when it was getting off to a good start.

He decided he could be selfish for a while longer.

The day after the party, Adrien arrived at school, and headed straight for Marinette. She still blushed, but this time she smiled, quite prettily, and said "hello, Adrien" without stuttering once.

He hugged her then, quickly and tightly, allowing his head to rest on her soft black hair.

He heard a loud, dramatic gasp from behind him, and suddenly he was stumbling back, and Chloe was in front of him, pointing a very sharp fingernail at Marinette, who had fallen to the ground when Chloe pushed herself in between them.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Just WHAT do you think YOU'RE doing?"

"Chloe—" Adrien tried.

"This is reeeediculous! Utterly _ridiculous_! If you think you can go around hugging MY Adrikins, you've got another thing coming! Just wait until my Daddy hears about this, you'll be packing your bags and leaving Paris when he's through with you!"

"CHLOE!" Adrien all but shouted.

"Huh?"

She turned around.

"If you're so worked up about it, you should know _I_ hugged her first. I'm getting kind of tired, Chloe, of you making fun of everyone _all the time_, and I'm especially tired of you picking on Marinette! If you can't be nice to people, _starting with Marinette_, who I happen to like a _lot_, then I'm sorry, but we can't be friends any more!"

Chloe looked shocked.

"Well I—you—HER! UGH!"

Face brick red, though with tears in her eyes, Chloe stormed off.

Alya was looking at him with something like awe written all over her face.

Marinette looked worried.

"But Adrien...isn't she your friend?"

"Girl!" Alya was shaking her head.

"That's kind of you, Marinette, and yes, she is my friend. But she really does need to learn to be nice to people. I'm sorry for pushing her away, but she knows what she needs to do, and how to do it; she has a heart, she just doesn't know how to use it."

"I hope you're right, Adrien."

Adrien smiled at her. Her tentative smile grew in return, and hand in hand, they went to class together.

When he received an invitation to a party by Chloe, Adrien was a little nonplussed. Why would she invite him to a party after an exchange like that?

He called Nino.

"Hey dude! What's up? Did you get that invite from Chloe?"

"Yeah, and actually, I was wondering what was up with that."

"Well, the word from Sabrina is that Chloe was really beaten up about your argument, and her butler dude is helping her 'be nice' to people. I think this party is just to show you how supposedly nice she can be."

"Well, I guess I have to be there, to be an accurate judge of it."

"Chya, better you than me. But she's asked me to DJ, and I kinda need the money. How about Marinette, bro? If anyone can test Chloe's niceness, it's her."

"I'm not sure Chloe would even invite her, besides, I couldn't knowingly put Marinette in a position that made her unhappy—"

"Dude. That girl would do ANYTHING for you. Just ask her, she'll be happy enough just to stand next to you. And you are a couple, right? It could be like a double date with me, Alya, you, and Marinette!"

"That sounds good, actually."

"Great, dude. I'll ring Alya, why don't you talk to Marinette?"

"Right. See you tonight!"

Nino hung up, and Adrien started dialling Marinette.

"Hello, love of my life?" She answered cheerfully. And then it sounded like she smacked her own face.

"Oh dear," she said, quietly, as if she were holding the phone away from her face.

"No worries, Marinette, girl of my dreams," Adrien said, only slightly teasing.

Plagg mimed vomiting.

Marinette giggled, and he thought he heard a few more giggles behind her. Could she have friends over?

"I'm sorry if this is a bad time—"

"No, not at all! What's going on?"

"Did you get that invite from Chloe?"

"Yes, yes I did."

Adrien heard a phone ringing from the other end. He guessed Alya was there.

"Well, I was thinking, you know, we could go together. Give Chloe a second chance. And, you know, if you don't like it, we could always leave early."

"Go to the party, with you? I'd love to Adrien!"

"Great, I knew you wouldn't let me down. I'll pick you up at your house."

"Great! See you then! Love you, bye!"

"Love you."

Adrien ended the call this time.

When his bodyguard pulled up in front of Marinette's house, she was waiting, surprisingly cheerfully for someone about to go to a party hosted by Chloe Bourgeois.

Adrien opened the door for her with a little flourish.

"After you!"

"Why thank you, kind sir."

"Of course, fair lady."

Adrien inwardly cringed at his use of 'lady'—he did NOT want Marinette to get suspicious—but she just giggled, looking flattered. The car ride went similarly; Adrien goofing off a little, Marinette responding in kind, and both laughing, while finding excuses to hold hands.

At first, at the party, Adrien kept glancing at Chloe to see how nice she was being, but after a while, Marinette captured his full attention. When slow music came on, Adrien, with a bow, led her onto the dance floor, where they quickly got lost in each other, dancing as closely as they were. It was only seconds, before they moved even closer, Marinette's head on his shoulder, and his head on hers. Adrien smiled. While his heart was doing it's own sort of tap dance, his steps were slow, and sure, and he felt like yelling in triumph, kissing her, and jumping for joy, all at the same time. His lady was here, in his arms, and she loved him back.

He snuggled in closer, and she responded in kind. He opened his eyes briefly, and saw Alya and Nino dancing near them. Alya winked, and Nino stuck up two thumbs. He smiled at them, at peace with himself and the world.

It was only when he heard mocking laughter that he looked up again.

"Good bye, Lila!" The class chorused. Adrien could hear Marinette knocking her head on her desk behind him. He willed his girlfriend to stay calm.

"Oh, not this again. You've got Adrien now, why all the hate?" He heard Alya ask.

"Because she lies with every breath, and everyone just laps it up! Someone's going to get hurt."

"If you're just jealous because everyone likes her..."

Adrien felt bad for Marinette. She wasn't jealous, she was concerned, and he appreciated that, and he turned around to say so, but Miss Bustier called the classes' attention back to her.

"Well, it isn't going to be easy living up to Lila's standards,"—Marinette actually growled at this—"but let's not forget, we can all be heroes for this one day. We may not all have Prince Ali as a friend, but —"

"We do have imagination!" Principle Damocles finished as he burst in, dressed as the Owl.

"Hoo, hoo! This year, Ladybug and Chat Noir have been our heroes, protecting us from the terrible Hawkmoth! They've shown us that heroism is beyond comic books and fairytales—heroism is real, and it is up to you to show how Chat Noir and Ladybug have brought out the best in all of us, by being every day heroes!"

"So what heroic deeds have you all planned?" Miss Bustier asked.

His classmates all had these wonderful ideas, and when he presented his own—giving his fencing class a chinese lesson, and his chinese class a fencing lesson—they were no less impressed.

Then it came to Marinette's good deed. She had made macarons, he could see them, and it looked like there was one each for everyone in the class, and each one was their favourite flavour. He was impressed, to say the least. It took a lot of attention to detail to get everyone's favourite flavour.

But of course Chloe had to open her mouth and make fun.

Adrien could see Chloe's words getting to Marinette, and he tried catching her attention before she did something she regretted. Maybe with a smile and a quiet word, that usually worked...

But then she really stuck her foot in it, promising a tasting with ridiculous amounts of pastries and cakes.

He hoped her parents were up to the task of helping her. But then he remembered the cake his father had ordered for the charity gala, and he realised they didn't.

He'd have to help his girlfriend, and not necessarily just in the kitchen.

With Lila, and Chloe's words, he found Marinette in a foul mood after class, and he joined her on the walk home for lunch.

"—and if I make the macarons at a rate of—"

"Marinette!"

"Yes, Adrien?"

"I can help you with this—"

"Great, we just—"

"Marinette...are you sure...are you sure you need to make this much?"

She sagged a little.

"I support your effort completely, but maybe you took Chloe's words too seriously."

"I know...but she was right. Macarons are just so...easy, it's like I'm not trying at all!"

Adrien wanted to point out that, as Ladybug, she was doing plenty, but he wisely didn't.

"Marinette, you noticed everyone's favourite flavours, even Chloe's! That's not nothing. And I know you don't want to back out of the tasting...but maybe you could just organise it, and everyone can help you getting the food ready. Trust me, it'll be plenty heroic getting everyone to do it, and this way everyone can pay you back for all the kindness you always show them. You're our every-day Ladybug, Marinette, and it's time people started appreciating you for the hero you are!"

Marinette smiled at him a little sheepishly.

"Yeah...maybe that is a good idea..."

They got to her house, and dashed straight into the kitchen. Marinette started making macarons quickly, and Adrien got to work messaging his classmates, asking them to help out on behalf of Marinette. He was met with an overwhelmingly positive result.

"Oh," he said, suddenly remembering something.

"What is it, what's the matter? Is someone not coming?"

He could see Marinette beginning to panic.

"No, no," he reassured her. "But I still have to ask my father if I can come. Give me a second, I just have to call Nathalie..."

Adrien dialled quickly, shooting a reassuring smile in Marinette's direction; she was looking quite anxious.

"Yes, Adrien?"

The cold voice of his father's secretary was all too familiar.

"Nathalie, can you ask my father if I can go to a picnic tonight? Only Marinette is organising it, and she'd be so disappointed if I couldn't go..."

"One moment."

The familiar holding music started playing. Nathalie picked up again soon after, however.

"'Your father says you may go."

"Yes! Thank you Nathalie! And say thank you to my father for me!"

He hung up, and grinned at Marinette's ecstatic face.

"I can come!"

"Yay!" Marinette shrieked, nearly upsetting her tray of macaron batter.

When the lunch break was over, there were three whole plates of different types of macarons, and both of them practically buzzing with positivity.

Until they reached the courtyard in their school, where everyone was bent over some device, and they all looked miserable.

Adrien had a feeling he'd need his miraculous now more than ever.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Heroes' Day was over. The battle had mostly been won, but the war was far from over. There was the new villain to contend with, and Hawkmoth had gotten away, but everyone was de-akumatized, and it seemed like Hawkmoth was taking a little break from turning people evil.

Marinette and Adrien were still going very strong; they'd been on seven amazing dates, and were about to go on an eighth. There first kiss had happened on their second date, underneath the black umbrella he'd given her so. long ago, outside her parent's bakery just when he'd delivered her home. His father had been intransigent, as usual, but he had eventually come around. Marinette's parents, of course, were supportive to the point of smothering, and whenever he walked Marinette home, they always made sure he had a very tasty snack to take away.

And they couldn't be happier. Marinette had pretty much entirely gotten over her stuttering, and any awkwardness was only ever introduced by an outside party. Speaking of parties, Marinette's tasting had been a roaring success, and everyone had told her how awesome she was when they left.

The only problem left was Lila.

She was ack at school, and lying just as profusely as ever. Adrien knew that she only did it for attention, but he could see Marinette's growing frustration, day by day, as Lila kept lying. He was able to defuse her anger, but he felt like anger that was only barely kept under control was a recipe for disaster.

He also knew that exposing her would only make things worse.

Then came the day Lila made everyone switch seats because of an alleged hearing problem.

He tried to sit in the back with Marinette, he really did, but Miss Bustier had said there was no need for it. He could only sit there, unhappily, commiserating with Marinette from a distance, as Lila started fawning over him, while pretending not to.

Later that day, Adrien was just returning from a trip to the bathroom, when he saw an akuma flitting past.

His first thought was Marinette. She'd been so bothered by Lila. He quickly ducked into a janitors closet, and transformed.

Chat Noir leapt onto the school railing, and searched desperately for the akuma. He saw it by the door to the locker room, just as Lila left it. He almost called out to her, but she didn't notice it, and it flew right past her. Heart lurching, he leapt for it, ignoring Lila's "hey" as he narrowly avoided her.

The butterfly was fast, and as he knocked over some lockers on entry, he saw it flit into the girl's bathroom.

Springing from his perch atop the toppled lockers, he knocked down the door—no time to be polite—he burst into the bathroom. But...he didn't see it anymore! Something red streaked past him, and reflected the light from the window.

But he didn't have time to investigate.

"Hello?! This is Chat Noir! Is everything okay in there?"

The bathroom stall in the middle burst open, the door flying off its hinges and cracking the mirror above the sink across from it.

Out stepped a supervillain.

A supervillain who was unquestionably Marinette.

Her hair was the same, except her ponytails were replaced by two large black feathers which wafted behind her, calling attention to the two, large white wings. She wore a black mask, with a white feathered motif, and her clothes were like Lady Wifi's, except instead of a wifi symbol on her chest, there was another white feather. Tied to her hips was a small, black pouch.

"M-Marinett?"

What had Lila said to her?

His heart skipped a beat when he noticed her earrings were missing. Had she already given them to Hawkmoth?! But no...the red streak he had noticed must have been her kwami, with her miraculous. He had to believe that. He didn't know what he'd do if she'd given them up.

"I'm not Marinette anymore! I am Verity Queen, and from now on, everyone will tell the truth!"

The feather...like the Ancient Egyptian one.

Verity Queen reached into her pouch, and tossed the silvery powder she took from it at him, which he narrowly dodged.

"Marinette! Marinette!"

He led her out of the locker room, dodging as she threw the sparkling dust again and again. He leapt out into the courtyard, but class was dismissed, and everyone was pouring out of the classrooms.

He tried again.

"Marinette! Yes, Lila's a liar, but you can't let that get to you! There's nothing she can—"

"I'm not Marinette!"

Her voice was gravelly, and deeper than normal.

He barely dodged the silver spray. He needed to get the fight out of here, before she actually hit someone, before she said something they'd regret, and before everyone noticed that Ladybug wasn't coming.

He saw Lila behind him. She looked triumphant, and he felt himself get angry.

The next bout of dust he dodged hit her, and he wasn't sorry.

Everything froze—everyone wanted to see what would happen, and Verity Queen was waiting with triumphant expectation.

Lila took a breath, and her mouth started moving of it's own accord.

"It's true, I lie with every breath, I don't know anyone famous, I'm just stringing you idiots all along. I've never been to the Kingdom of Achoo, all the times I've been absent, I've been at home, avoiding you losers, and I hate you Ladybug! I hate you Marinette Dupain-Cheng! I threatened to ruin your life—I know you won't choose my side, I know for a fact I can get everyone, even your precious Adrien, to hate you by the end of the week!"

There was a collective gasp. Everyone was backing away from Lila now. She looked like she was trying to stop the flow with her hands, but nothing was working. She just spewed truth after truth after truth, and she was looking exhausted doing it.

"Show time's over," Chat Noir muttered.

"Over here, Snitch Queen!"

Verity Queen glared at him, and reached into her pouch again.

He needed his girlfriend back, right now!

He leapt onto the roof, and growling, she followed, flapping those massive wings.

He led her away, over the roofs, and on the streets, taunting her all the while. He passed a vendor selling jam. He took one, apologising as he ran. He had something of a plan. Dumping the contents of the jar, he put on a burst of speed, until he'd lost sight of her for a second, and he reached his destination, the largest entrance to the deepest part of the sewers. He only had seconds. Verity queen landed on the grate just as he shouted cataclysm. She stepped closer, and reached into her pouch. Chat Noir touched the grate, and sent them both tumbling down, down, into the dark, and the water below.

As they were falling, Chat Noir grabbed her pouch, and she threw a punch, which missed. He ripped open the bag, and an akuma flittered out. Using the jar he'd swiped, he caught it, screwing the lid shut tightly.

And then they hit the water.

Chat Noir sank deep, the de-akumatized Marinette beside him, struggling for air.

He gave her his staff to breath through and, taking turns using it, they swam through an underwater tunnel, until they reached a split closer to the surface, where they could stand in the stream, instead of being fully immersed.

"Marinette..."

She looked pale, and she was coughing up some of the water she'd inhaled on impact.

"I'm fine. But Chat Noir, the akuma!"

He saw it, then. It was trying ti wriggle it's way out of the jar. He didn't know how it was managing, but he could see the corner of the wing out already.

He clamped his paw over it, delaying the inevitable.

He was stuck. He didn't know what to do to fi this. He couldn't purge the akuma, and he couldn't just leave Marinette with it, or leave her in the sewers while he took it and let her transform.

He had to tell her. His heart lurched again.

But he needed to.

"Marinette, I...I know you're Ladybug."

He didn't dare look at her face.

"It was when Alya was akumatized into Lady Wifi, I...I didn't mean to look, but I caught a glimpse. I've been trying to ignore it, but we need Ladybug, now. I'm so, so sorry."

His voice broke on the last bit, and he stared at his feet for shame.

He imagined she hated him now, and a tear slowly worked it's way out of his eye.

What she did next surprised him. She took his elbow, and kissed his cheek.

"That's okay, Chat Noir. Accidents happen. I'm not angry at you at all! I'm just sad it took me being akumatized for you to tell me. Not that I can really have the high ground, as I _was_ akumatized."

Chat Noir looked up, and met her eyes through his swimming ones. She was serious, and he broke into a watery smile.

"Thank you, my Lady."

A kwami dashed into his sight.

"Oh, Marinette, I was worried sick! It took me forever to find you guys, and I knew you'd need your miraculous when this was over. I'm so sorry I couldn't help you through the akuma!"

"Awww, that's okay, Tikki. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine."

"No, it's Hawkmoth's fault," Chat Noir announced.

Then, his ring started beeping.

"Oh, right. I need to catch the akuma!"

Marinette quickly transformed, and captured it just as it wormed it's way out of the jar.

"No more evil doing for you, akuma. Time to de-evilize!"

In seconds it was done. But those were a few seconds too long, and Ladybug wasn't fast enough to cover her eyes.

Chat Noir had transformed back into Adrien right in front of Ladybug.

She stared.

"You said...you knew since Lady Wifi..."

He could see the gears turning in her head, and the hurt come into her eyes.

"Ladybug wait, it's not what you think!"

She fell silent, and looked at him warily.

"I was in love with you as Ladybug from the beginning, but as soon as I met you as Marinette...well, if Ladybug never existed, I know for a fact I would have approached you just the same. It was amazing for me to find out that you were Ladybug, it was a dream come true! No matter who you are under the mask, and no matter if you are Ladybug or not, I know I will always love you."

Her expression softened, and she hugged him. This was better than all of their other hugs, and Adrien knew Ladybug, Marinette, forgave him.

He chuckled a little.

"What?"

"I never imagined revealing my identity to you in a sewer..."

Ladybug started, she hadn't been expecting the joke, and then she started laughing. Adrien joined in, and it was a welcome release from any negative emotion that might have remained.

After they were done, Adrien fed Plagg, and quickly transformed back into Chat Noir. Ladybug activated her lucky charm, and fixed everything back to normal.

Chat Noir took Marinette, and found the nearest exit, leaping out to find the press waiting.

"Sorry, no questions," he got out, before carrying Marinette over the roof tops back to the school, where Alya waited for her, and where everyone was shunning Lila.

"It was really clever of you to use the jar to catch the akuma, even if it eventually got out," ladybug said, standing next to him at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

"You see? I do have ideas, bugaboo," Chat Noir said, taking her hand and kissing it.

She laughed a little, and they returned to watching the night sky.

"Hawkmoth is still a threat," she said quietly.

"I know, he said. "But I also know that we're strongest as a couple, and together, there is nothing we can't do."

"You're right, my kitty."

He could hear the smile in her voice, and he smiled back.

This, _this,_ was how it should be. How it always would be.

Ladybug and Chat Noir against the world, together forever.

Just like always.

"_Pound it!"_


End file.
